


Cellophane (HIATUS)

by SpiceySpice



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Hot Mess Adrien Agreste, Identity Reveal, Post-Canon, Post-Hawk Moth Defeat, Romance, Slow Burn, Updating tags as I go, slightly canon divergent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:01:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22548202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiceySpice/pseuds/SpiceySpice
Summary: Taking place a year after Hawkmoth's defeat. The Black Cat Miraculous has disappeared. Adrien has become distant from his friends and hasn't had contact with Marinette since graduation. When she finds him in a drunken state, she discovers Adrien knows her superhero identity. They both must deal with the mess that follows.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 62
Kudos: 149





	1. Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Another Angsty fic, because I can't get enough of them and I wanted to try my own hand at writing one.

“Adrien?”

Marinette hadn’t seen him since they both graduated from Lycée. Even then, they hadn’t talked much the last year of school. Not by choice, at least on Marinette’s part. She had been busy with school. She was class president, after all. And she wanted to get into the best university that she could. And then, there was also the fact that she was Ladybug. That was the year they had finally stopped Hawkmoth.

It was also the year Chat Noir disappeared.

Marinette blamed herself for Adrien’s distance. It was no wonder he had slipped away. She often wondered what happened to him… And here he was, no matter if it was by fate or by chance, leaned against a wall in the Paris Métro.

This wasn’t the sweet, dreamy, or carefree Adrien that she remembered. This Adrien looked pitiful. He was passed out. Limbs sprawled in every direction. Mouth hanging open. Eyes half-lidded. Dirt smeared across his left cheek. She nudged him and he grumbled. His head rolled languidly. He opened his eyes and squinted at the woman standing above him.

“Ladybug?”

A jolt sent up Marinette’s spine and she straightened on guard.

“A-Are—Are you okay?” she stuttered.

No response. She called his name again, this time raising her voice. 

“I’m okay,” Adrien mumbled. But his speech was slurred. His head began to droop.

She stared at him, mouth agape. Was he on something? Had he been drinking? It was a wonder that she had found him this early in the morning. It wasn’t even 6 AM. It was never like Marinette to be up at the crack of dawn, but she had some errands to run before the bakery opened and a school project to finish and—oh, it’s not like she slept anyways. Marinette was glad to be awake at this moment, because it meant she was the one who found Adrien instead of Paparazzi or some creep.

“Fuck!” Adrien exclaimed. He laughed, though it looked like he was trying to hold back tears.

“You’re coming with me,” Marinette asserted, pulling him to his feet.

Marinette did the only thing she knew to do and drug him to her bakery home. At some point, it began to rain. By the time they arrived, they were both soaking wet.

“Maman!” A bell jingled as Marinette pushed open the bakery door.

“Yes, Dear?” Sabine hummed with her back to the counter. She had been getting ready for the first customers of the day. “Have you gotten all the things I sent you for?” She turned to greet her daughter, smiling in a way only a morning person could. But her blissful expression dropped into one of horror when she saw Marinette with Adrien in tow. She cried out for her husband.

~~

Later, Marinette sat in her bedroom. Her right leg shook violently. Her fingers tapped against her desk. She was horrified. Upset. Worried. A nasty conglomeration of fear and emotion swelled inside her, threatening to spill at any moment. As she fussed, she stared at the Miracle Box. Almost all the Miraculous were sitting safe inside. The Miracle Box, itself, was hidden inside a boutique-style giftbox that didn’t look out of place in Marinette’s room. The only missing piece of jewelry was that of the Black Cat, which had gone missing during the final Battle of the Miraculous. It was the battle that had revealed the identities of both Hawkmoth and Mayura, who just so happened to be Adrien’s father, Gabriel Agreste, and his assistant, Nathalie Sancoeur.

“Ladybug,” Marinette said, flatly, to Tikki who had been hovering above her. “He called me _Ladybug.”_

“Maybe he was just confused,” Tikki suggested. “He wasn’t sober, Marinette.”

“But _how_ did he even make the connection?!” Marinette’s voice became shrill and she nearly toppled out of her chair.

A loud groan interrupted them, coming from the chaise across the room. Marinette regained her balance and swirled in her chair to face Adrien, who had been asleep only a moment before. A deep blush formed on her face.

Adrien sat up and gripped his head with both hands. There were dark circles underneath his eyes. His face scrunched into a pale expression and…

“Oh, God,” He lurched, and Marinette shrieked. She scrambled to find a trash bin or a bag or—too late. Adrien vomited all over himself and the floor.

“Maman! Papa!” Marinette ran to find help.

After this incident, fresh out of the shower, Adrien sat in the Dupain-Cheng’s kitchen. He wore a pair of ill-fitting sweatpants and a grossly oversized t-shirt courtesy of Tom who had claimed the shirt was way too small for him, anyways, Sabine had given him a glass of water and some pain reliever. It was lunchtime for the family, and he was invited to eat, but Adrien had no appetite. They sat around the table eating silently.

“Is everything okay at home, Son?” Tom broke the awkward silence. “Does your father know where you’ve been all night?” Adrien visibly stiffened.

“Papa!” Marinette coughed, elbowing her father in the side.

“Oh!” Tom exclaimed. “Right. Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Adrien said, sheepishly. “Thank you. And I apologize for all the trouble I’ve—”

“No need to apologize, Dear,” Sabine chimed. But her face read ten shades of worry.

Adrien cleared his throat.

“I guess I’ll get out of your way now.”

Adrien tucked his hair into a Toboggan and donned a pair of black sunglasses. Combined with a layer of morning stubble and his borrowed clothes, he looked more like a bum than he did a celebrity. He hoped no one in the press or on social media got wind of his escapades overnight. Adrien pulled out his phone as he walked down the street. His screen was shattered, and he winced at a small shard of glass that got stuck in his thumb.

Already, various media outlets were reporting his most embarrassing moment to date. One picture of him passed out on the Metro had surfaced on Twitter. There were a couple others of Marinette, dragging him away from the scene. He cursed to himself. Poor Marinette didn’t deserve this.

“Adrien!” He suddenly heard Marinette’s voice. She ran after him, pastry bag in one hand, a black umbrella in the other. As he stopped, rain pattered around him and trailed down his face. When she caught up to him, she looked him in the eyes and held out the bag to him. Her arms were straight and stiff. Her hand was shaking. Was it from the cold or from nervousness? She turned her face from him, looking more like the shy 15-year-old he had known a long time ago.

“We need to talk,” she said, simply.

Adrien breathed in sharply.

“I know we haven’t talked in forever, but…” She continued. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

For a second, Adrien looked lost and then realization washed over his face. He took the pastry bag from Marinette’s hand.

“Because I never realized before,” he said. “Thank's for the snack.”

Marinette was at a loss for words. She watched him crack a soft smile before he turned and walked away. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe.

“Wait!” She managed to croak. She stared at him for a few moments longer, before realizing her umbrella had lowered and she was becoming drenched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This is my first Miraculous fic and first entry on Ao3.  
> I plan on continuing this, so I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for the short first chapter, by the way, I just wanted to set things up and see if I can gain some interest. Feedback is always welcome!


	2. Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette calls Alya over for an emergency meeting.

_Because I never realized before._

His voice kept repeating in the back of her mind like a scratched vinyl record. It was too early to be in bed, but she did so anyways and stared at the ceiling. She felt like she had whiplash.

She threw a pillow over her face. “This doesn’t make any sense!”

“Please calm down, Marinette. There has to be an explanation for this!” Tikki’s voice was optimistic. Marinette couldn’t be optimistic. She felt like she was drowning.

“Someone had to tell him! There’s no other explanation! No one’s ever seen me transform—At least not that I know of—and even Hawkmoth couldn’t figure out my identity! He tried for 5 years, Tikki! It’s been over a year since the last Akuma attack!”

Tikki watched in defeat. She hadn’t seen Marinette worked up over Ladybug stuff in a long time. She had come to realize that the best action was to let Marinette have her moment and wait it out, but she couldn’t bear to see Marinette beating herself up over this.

“I mean—It’s not like it’s a real danger anymore, right?!” Marinette rambled. “Hawkmoth is out of the picture. I have all of the miraculous here with me, except…”

Marinette lifted upright and her face suddenly dropped. “Oh, Tikki! This is awful! And it’s even worse because I’m supposed to be the _guardian_ and I messed that up too!”

Tikki flew to Marinette’s side and hugged her cheek. “It’s okay, Marinette. We’ll get to the bottom of this.” Marinette sniffled and the Kwami wiped tears away from Marinette’s eyes. Marinette uttered a quiet _thank you_. She sat on her bed with her knees curled up to her chest and fished for her phone. These days it seemed like everyone was busy with their own lives, but she needed her best friend more than ever.

_My house as soon as you can?_ She stared at the screen, waiting for Alya to see her message.

_Yeah girl What’s up?_

About a half an hour later, Marinette paced in her room until she heard the click of her bedroom hatch. Alya emerged and Marinette threw herself in the other girl’s arms.

“Are you going to tell me what’s up or are you just gonna cry the whole time I’m here?” To a stranger, Alya’s matter of fact tone would seem rude or dismissive, but Marinette knew it was just her way of getting to the bottom of the situation. Her friend wanted to know all the facts. She was supportive but hated seeing her friend so upset over something that could easily be resolved with a little critical thinking and communication. Alya was the voice of reason. Marinette didn’t know if her problem could be fixed, this time.

Marinette sniffled into Alya’s shoulder. “You’re going to hate me!”

“Not possible!”

“Okay…” Marinette regained her composure and pulled away. She straightened up, clenching and unclenching her fists. “You’re going to want to sit down for this.”

She chewed on her bottom lip as she watched Alya’s confused expression drop into one of genuine concern. She nodded and went to sit on the chaise.

“Not there!” Marinette yelled, abruptly.

“Why not?!”

“Adrien _threw up_ over there a couple hours ago!”

Alya paused mid-action and her eyes widened. She did a double take.

“You saw the Trending feed on Twitter, didn’t you?!”

“You know I’ve been on a social media break!” Alya reminded her friend, slowly moving to inspect the damage on the piece of furniture. There were a few dubious brown stains on the edge of the seat. The fabric still looked damp and smelled heavily of cleaner. Marinette stood just behind her, thumb furiously swiping over her phone screen. Then she shoved the image into the other girl’s face.

Alya whistled. “What did you two _do_ last night?”

“The real question is ‘What did _Adrien_ do?!’ I found him passed out drunk while waiting for the train this morning!”

The room fell silent.

Marinette held herself in her arms and looked down at the floor. “I told you you’re going to hate me,” she whispered. “I can’t do this anymore.” If Alya said anything else, she didn’t hear it. She could practically feel Tikki breathing down her neck. Her brain was heavy. She felt a loud rush inside of her ears. Anxiety overtook her as she thought about what to say, but she could only squeeze out two simple words.

“I’m Ladybug.”

Alya’s jaw dropped. Her mouth quivered as if she couldn’t find the words to say.

“I’m so sorry, Alya, I-I didn’t mean—”

Alya let out a deep breath and Marinette was surprised when her friend broke into a fit of laughter. “It all makes so much sense!”

“So, you don’t hate me!”

“ _Of course,_ I don’t hate you! You of all people should know that I understand completely! You trusted me with the fox, didn’t you?” Alya was right and Marinette chided herself for being so stupid. Of course, Alya didn’t hate her. Alya knew exactly what it was like to be a superhero. She knew what it was like to keep that secret. Or did she? She had Nino to trust and confide in during Hawkmoth’s terrorism. Ever since Master Fu left Paris, she had nobody. Chat Noir’s disappearance had only made that void worse.

“Any news on Chat Noir?” Marinette asked, softly. Alya shook her head.

When Chat Noir disappeared, Marinette had called on each Miraculous holder and began a search team. They scoured Paris and surrounding towns for months with no luck. While none of the other holders were currently active, Marinette still called on Nino and Alya to keep their eyes peeled for him. If she had only caved and trusted him with her identity, none of this would have happened. But she was stubborn and Tikki’s warnings frightened her.

“What are you thinking?” Alya asked.

“That I’m a horrible friend. First Chat Noir. Now Adrien. I should have been there for both of them.”

Alya put a hand on Marinette’s shoulder. “It’s your fault as much as it is ours.”

"And the worst part is... Adrien knows who I am." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the dialogue dump. I couldn't think of any other way to do this without dumping a whole lot of exposition. As always, thank you and feedback is welcome!  
> If you like what you read, so far, then at the minimum I plan on updating this once a week. I've already written drafts for a couple more chapters and I would like to stay ahead. I'm having a lot of fun writing this!


	3. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien returns home to an uninvited guest.

Amelie Graham de Vanily stood at the entrance of the Agreste mansion, umbrella in hand. She squinted, her breath tight, lips pursed, looking for any sign of her nephew. She had left voicemails. He hadn’t answered her calls. All her messages were left on read. She felt he had no reason to ignore her like this. She had been anything but kind and patient to Adrien.

The rain slowed to a drizzle. With a huff, she shoved her phone her into her back pocket. She considered heading inside when she saw a familiar frame approach the front gate. For a second, they made eye contact before Adrien looked away. An expression like stone hardened his face. She forced a tight-lipped smile and held her arms wide for a hug. Adrien simply brushed past her.

“Before you go upstairs, I’d like to remind you that we are leaving for London tonight. So, have your bags packed and ready.” Her voice was cheerfully menacing. Sweet and sour. Adrien stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her.

“What makes you think I’m going to London with you?”

Amelie turned to face Adrien with a wide smirk. “What makes you think you have a choice?”

Adrien gritted his teeth and tightened his fists. “I’m an adult now, remember? I believe I officially have reign to do what I want.”

“That’s adorable!” Amelie stifled a laugh. Her smile grew unnaturally wide and she bared her teeth. “Then, let me remind you this. You have nowhere else to go. The Gabriel brand is done for. Your _family_ resides in London, now. You _need_ your family, whether you like it or not.”

Adrien scoffed. “I never asked you to come in the first place. I’d rather you just go back home.”

“And that’s what I intend to do,” Amelie said triumphantly. “I have everything I came here for. I visited your father in prison after I arrived this morning. The mansion goes up for sale tomorrow.”

As soon as the words slithered out of her mouth, Adrien noticed a certain pair of twin rings sparkle amidst her fingers. He regarded them with visible disgust. Had Aunt Amelie always been this conniving? He never remembered his mother this way. Emily had always been so considerate and warm, at least towards her son. But the way her twin looked in that instant, with her slender features and an attitude full of saccharin charm, she looked more like a snake.

“Whatever you’re planning to do with my father’s possessions are none of my concern.” Adrien did his best to put on an air of indifference. However, with the way she bore her eyes into him, he knew Amelie saw right through his front. He didn’t know if it was the way his right finger twitched, or the way he avoided eye contact. He turned away from her, wanting nothing more but to get away from his Aunt.

“You’re just like your father.” Amelie wielded her words like a knife. She was determined to get the last word. It seemed she had gotten her way when a black car pulled to the front gates and she climbed inside, slamming the door shut to indicate she had won the argument for then.

Adrien hurried inside. The thud of the large front doors shutting behind him pounded inside his skull.

_London._ There was no way he would leave Paris when Plagg was still out there somewhere! With his back pressed against the doors, he squeezed his eyes shut. A lump formed in his throat. She couldn’t make him leave, could she? Father wouldn’t _really_ let her sell his house like that, would he? Adrien groaned and laced his fingers through his own hair. His palms pressed hard into his forehead. His head ached. So. Fucking. Bad. Sabine’s pain relievers had done nothing for him.

_‘C’mon, you can do this.”_ Adrien slowly willed himself to stand up straight. ‘ _To the kitchen.’_

Growing up, he could only count a handful of times where he was allowed to visit the kitchen. He always had professional chefs cook for him but, when Gabriel was carted off to prison as a domestic terrorist, his entire staff walked out. Until then, he never thought his home could seem any emptier and more uninviting than it already was. It was darker. His footsteps echoed louder. And without maid-service, a layer of dust settled on everything.

Adrien liked hanging out in the kitchen. While it was still the epitome of luxury and styled with Gabriel’s sensibilities, it was comfortable to him. He had no memories there, painful, happy, or otherwise. Large windows overlooked the garden, letting light stream in even on an overcast day. He would often sit at the kitchen island and stare outside wondering how much better his life would be if would just admit his mistake to Ladybug.

_‘Ladybug,’_ Adrien held his breathe, leaning against the countertop as he uncorked a bottle of wine. ‘ _Marinette is Ladybug. Ladybug was right there, and you still couldn’t fess up…’_

Adrien was jerked out of his own thoughts by the sound of his phone vibrating against the marble countertop. Blue light emitted from the screen, showing the name of someone Adrien hadn’t seen in 3 months. _Nino Lahiffe._ Adrien scrambled to answer the phone, accidentally knocking over the bottle in the process. Red wine flowed down the bright countertops and splashed onto the front his shirt.

“Hello?” The sound of Nino’s voice made Adrien’s breath hitch. He considered hanging up. “Adrien?”

“Hey, What’s up!” Adrien heightened his voice to feign cheerfulness, but he could sense something was up just by the tiredness evident in Nino’s voice. He could practically see his friend twiddling his thumbs and twisting his mouth in uncertainty.

“Hey, Bro. It’s been a while. Do you wanna meet up for coffee or something tomorrow?”

Coffee? This wasn’t like Nino at all.

“Yeah, sure,” Adrien tucked his phone between his ear and his shoulder, moving to clean up the mess he’d made just moments before. “Um… Nino? It’s actually really good timing because I have a favor to ask you.”

For what seemed like a long time, there was only the sound of Nino’s breathing. Adrien thought to himself, ‘ _Maybe I shouldn’t have brought this up so soon…’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are a few fics out there that not only depict Adrien growing up to become an addict, but also to become a public menace, a player, or an asshole to the media and everyone around him. While I take guilty pleasure in those kind of stories, in this portrayal, I thought it would be interesting to depict Adrien in a way that I think was more true to his character. There are multiple times in the series where Adrien is shown to have a tendency for melancholy behavior when he feels in a rut. And in Chat Blanc, shock and anxiety cause him to become frozen and to choose inaction. I believe Adrien is at risk for addiction, not only because of the emotional trauma he's experienced, but because the newfound lack of structure in his life (paired with the inability to become Chat Noir) leaves him in emotional limbo.


	4. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien meets up with Nino in hopes to rekindle lost friendship.

Marinette drummed her fingers against the table as she watched the rain waterfall from the awning outside the window. She clutched her mug with both hands, feeling the warmth against her fingers. She brought it to her lips, taking a long sip of her _café au crème._ Her friends sat across the table. Alya scrolled through her phone. Nino’s chin rested lazily in one of his hands, peering at whatever Alya was engrossed in. But Marinette wasn’t listening. She was far away.

She was thinking of the day before. She was thinking of Adrien. She was thinking of all the coincidences and circumstances that somehow made _her_ the one to have found him. She was thinking of his face. And how tired—no—absolutely exhausted he looked.

“Marinette?”

She thought of the bags under his eyes and his scrubby, stubbly face. She thought of his chapped lips.

“Marinette?”

She thought of how different and discontent and _not-Adrien_ he looked.

“Hey! Earth to Marinette?!” Marinette blinked. Alya had set her phone down and both her friends focused on her.

“Get enough sleep last night?” Alya snorted.

“Not really.” Marinette set her cup down and slumped in her seat. “I’m exhausted. And I’m worried about Adrien…”

“Yeah, me too,” Nino sighed. “You know he asked me if he could crash at my place, right?”

“No way,” Alya’s eyes became wide, her eyebrows raising. “What did you tell him?”

Nino rolled his eyes. “I said no.”

“What? Why?” Marinette was confused.

“That’s not right,” Alya stated, full of concern. “You’re his best friend, Nino.”

“You would think, but I haven’t talked to him in a few months. It only seems like he bothers to talk when he needs me…” Nino’s voice trailed off. There was a permeating silence and Marinette’s focus shifted to her empty cup. Then, suddenly, the sound of a bell took her attention. Marinette’s eyes snapped to the door and she felt her heart stop.

Adrien.

And he was as he _should be._ He had cleaned up since the last time she had seen him. His face was clean shaven. His hair neatly styled. He had done away with the ill-fitting sweats he had left her house in, opting for a fit that was more on-trend. He stopped for a moment and scanned the room, as if he was searching for somebody. Marinette squeaked when he made eye contact with her. This prompted an eyebrow raise from Alya. Nino turned around, following Marinette’s line of sight. Adrien stood in place as his old friends looked at him. He coughed into his arm, feeling morbidly awkward.

“Hey, Dude,” Nino was the first one to speak.

Adrien raised a palm in greeting. “Hey…”

“You can sit down,” Nino gestured to the table with his hand.

“Oh! Right!” Adrien scurried to take a seat next to Marinette. Marinette felt her whole body become stiff and she gripped, again, onto her empty coffee cup.

“Did you see this?” Alya slid her phone across the table to Adrien, who looked downwards at it, but didn’t dare touch it. His hands were hidden underneath the table and he gripped at his jeans. Alya had presented him an article published on some British Tabloid site. It contained an image taken during last year’s Hawkmoth trial. A close-up of his face at an unflattering angle was accompanied by large text:

ADRIEN’S PATH TO REHAB! FORMER TEEN HEARTTHROB HAS WILD NIGHT AMID ANNIVERSARY OF GABRIEL SCANDAL. 

“As your friend…” Alya slid the phone back to her side of the table. “I really hate to see it go down like this.”

Since the coverage of Hawkmoth died down, Adrien had refused all public appearances. This included any modeling gigs, as well as interviews. It wasn’t like him to deny any word to the public, especially when the media attacked his character. In the past, he had enjoyed much of the spotlight as his alter-ego Chat Noir, showing off and flaunting for the camera with greater ease than he did as a model. Now, he was tired of the media. It was too overwhelming to deal with after spending much of his life in the public eye.

And why had he been so public in the first place if his father was so strict about his image? Adrien had never really questioned why he was supposed to be the face of _Gabriel._ At the time, he was only a child. But at 20 years old and with no contact with his father, he realized just how strange… maybe even pedophilic … that it was. Why had his father been so comfortable portraying his son in such an intimate way? He remembered many shoots, some that went on to be covers of fashion magazines, where he was urged to pose suggestively. Many of these would grace the walls of his fans’ bedrooms… fans such as Marinette…

He shifted his gaze to the side, glancing at Marinette who carefully angled herself away from him. _Marinette really didn’t deserve this._ And the fact that she was _Ladybug,_ of all people, made him feel even more uncomfortable in his own skin. He had never felt uncomfortable around Marinette before. She used to be one of his dearest friends… He looked away from her. He hadn’t meant to slip away from Nino, however, he made sure to distance himself from Marinette. Before the Hawkmoth situation happened, Adrien knew Gabriel Agreste was her fashion idol. She had done everything she could over the years to get on his good side. His father had been thoroughly impressed with her, even going so far as to offer her a scholarship to whatever design school or atelier she wanted. For some reason, after the incident, he just couldn’t seem to face her.

Yet, here she was, after everything he had done to avoid her, she was actively avoiding his gaze, looking just as uncomfortable as he did. She was as hard to read as she always had been. ‘ _Maybe she just doesn’t want to talk to you…’_

“Hello-o-o!?!” Alya snapped a finger in front of his face. “Not you too! Are you even listening to us.??”

“N-no…” Adrien felt moisture welling up in his eyes and he tried to pass it off as if he was rubbing his face. “I mean—yes! It was an accident. I didn’t mean to—I was just out, and things got a little out of hand…”

“Dude…” Nino interjected. Adrien got the sense that they didn’t believe him.

“Don’t you trust me?” Adrien asked.

“No.” Adrien turned to look at Marinette, who had been sitting quiet the entire time he had been sitting with them. She was now looking right at him. Her eyes were hard. “We don’t—We can’t trust you!”

Marinette had raised her voice, her fist hitting the table, startling even Alya and Nino. “How do we even trust you if you can’t trust us? How do we know you weren’t working with Hawkmoth? How did you know it was _me_ behind the mask?”

That stung.

Of course, it stung. It had only been a week since the anniversary of Hawkmoth’s conviction. He had been put behind bars as a domestic terrorist. It was a crime from which Adrien had been acquitted. After all the evidence had been presented, Adrien, who had endured a week of testimony, had been found not guilty. The rest of the accused were not so lucky. Nathalie had been charged with terrorism as well, operating under the identity of Mayura with the Peacock miraculous. The Gorilla, sadly, had been charged as an accomplice for covering up their criminal activity. And, not surprisingly, among the accused testified one of Adrien’s former classmates, Lila Rossi, who willingly allowed herself to become Akumatized on multiple instances to work alongside Gabriel. Adrien had wished his acquittal was just enough to regain the respect of the people around him, but, as always, that wasn’t the case. His classmates had become distant. His friends were suddenly too busy for him. Even the state had placed his home on surveillance and watched his actions for the next 6 months. And because of this, he had to lay low. He couldn’t search for Plagg. He couldn’t seek out Ladybug. There had been times where he’d seen her outside of his window, scaling the rooftops or swinging from the Eiffel tower. But watching her was all he could do.

“Adrien… Don’t lie to us,” Marinette spoke up again. He noticed her voice quivered.

“Why would I lie to you?” Adrien’s voice did just the same.

“Where is the Black cat?”

“I don’t know…” And there was just enough defeat in his voice for his friends to know he was telling the truth. Marinette looked away again. She looked much smaller than she had looked before.

“I should go.” Adrien began to get up for his seat.

“No-Wait!” Nino said, “What about your house?”

“What about it?”

“Are you really going to let her sell it like that? How does she even get to do that?”

“Amelie’s been working behind the scenes with my father, I guess.”

“You should move out of that place anyways,” Alya asserted. “You do have a trust fund, don’t you? I can’t believe your dad would just leave you with nothing… and all that modeling work you did--?”

“I mean, yes I do, but---”

“But?” Alya raised an eyebrow. And it seemed for a second like all his friends were focused on him.

Adrien’s jaw shook, his eyes frantically darting between his friends.

“Then why won’t you just get out of there?” Alya egged on.

“Because I’m not ready!” Now it was Adrien’s turn to lash out. “Okay! I can! I have plenty of money! I’m capable but—I’m not ready!”

All of Adrien’s friends seemed taken aback by this, including Marinette. And once again, there was heavy silence.

“Is it okay if I leave, now?” Adrien stood anyway and shoved his chair back in place. “See you guys some other time.”

He stepped out of the café, stringing his jacket over his arms. He hadn’t realized how hot he was until cold water trickled over his face. He glanced back at the window, meeting Marinette’s eyes as she gazed after him out the window. He nodded once and hurried away.

When he returned home, he entered the mansion to yet another unwelcome sight. Amalie stood in the foyer, with a strange man. He was dressed sharply, clipboard in hand. They were talking amongst themselves.

“No one’s going to buy, you know. It’s too early. Everyone remembers what he did.”

Amelie and the realtor stopped their conversation to face him.

“Then what do you suggest I do with it,” Amelie offered. The realtor cleared his throat and muttered something about his next appointment before promptly leaving the premises. He knew this was a private discussion.

“Your father tells me you haven’t made a single visit to him since his incarceration.”

“I handled everything with his lawyers, so why should I?” Adrien started to pass Amelie, before she held out her hand to stop him.

“You already lost your mother. And he’s still your father… Maybe you should ask him why he did it…”

“I don’t need to know…”

“As you’ve noticed, I’ve allowed you more time to decide if you’re coming to London with me. Are your bags packed and ready?”

“I told you. I’m not going.”

“Fine.” Amelie’s face fell and she turned to head up the stairs. “Then I guess you’ll have to figure out your own way without my—or anyone’s help—"

The conversation was over. Adrien spent the rest of the day indoors.

That night he wanted to drink. But he didn’t. He uncorked a new bottle of wine and brought it to his bedroom. He sat in front of the television. Wine in sight. Not drinking. He spent the rest of the day watching old movies. Some were in black and white. Most were from the 80s and 90s. Many of them starred his mother.

Wouldn’t his mother be proud of him?

He had alcohol in his reach. He held it. He smelled it. And even when he paid the wine more attention than whatever he was watching, he didn’t drink.

Boredom was worse than being alone. As he learned in his youth, there were only so many movies you could watch. There were only so many TV shows you could binge. At least, when he was in school, he had modeling and extracurriculars to fill his schedule. Now, with nothing to do and no one to handle his schedule and… without Plagg to keep him company… he was _bored._ Maybe that’s why he figured adults drank to pass the time…

He wasn’t going to drink! Adrien slammed down the remote and stomped away. He was going to have a meltdown if he kept this up.

‘ _Time to go to bed_ ,’ Adrien thought, even though the sun had just barely set. ‘It’s better than doing whatever this is.’

It wasn’t.

Adrien tossed and turned in his bed for what seemed like hours. He groaned when he heard his phone chime once and buzz against his pillow. He opened his eyes and unlocked the screen, regarding the time. It was after 10 at night. The notification was a text from Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

_I don’t know if this is still your number and sorry for texting so late at night, but I want to apologize for earlier._

How would he even respond?

Adrien squinted as his thumb grazed over the touchscreen.

 _It’s fine. I’m sorry too._ He responded simply.

_For what?_

_I don’t know._ He did know. He just couldn’t put it into words. _Can we talk in person?_

_Right now?_

_It doesn’t have to be, but if you want… I know you have to sleep._

Ten minutes went by before there was indication that Marinette was typing.

_I can’t sleep anyways. I’m on my way._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm still writing this. In this chapter, I wanted to address Adrien's financial situation before it creates a hole in the story. I also realized a weekly schedule is not practical for me because my adult responsibilities will fall to the wayside if I let myself become too excited about this fic. Whoops.  
> Since this is my first time publishing to Ao3, I'm having a lot of trouble formatting this, so bear with me.


	5. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette visits Adrien's home for the first time since Gabriel's incarceration.

Marinette shuffled her feet outside of the gate to the Agreste Mansion. Her hands were stuffed in her jacket pockets. Every breath emitted puffs of steam. It was chilly and damp from a week of rain that had finally let off. The air smelled of spring. It was moist and inviting. It teased Marinette with thoughts of warmth and sunlight around the corner. She ached with longing for days spent in the park where her greatest designs usually came to her. Paris wasn’t quite there yet.

The gate was illuminated by a dim streetlight. There was little traffic. There were no pedestrians. She heard the fountain across the square, it’s gentle humming relished in the rare quiet. It was so quiet that Marinette could hear her heart thumping in her ears. Its pace was frantic. She felt unsteady. Lightheaded. She swallowed. She couldn’t lift her hand to the buzzer.

She didn’t understand why she was nervous. She had been to Adrien’s home both as Marinette and as Ladybug. As Ladybug, she was supposed to be able to handle anything. So why was letting herself into Adrien’s home so hard?

The large “NO TRESPASSING” sign posted to the wall didn’t help. It was overgrown by the skeletons of last season’s Ivy. On the gate, a smaller sign warned that the property was under surveillance. A cool breeze swirled leaves past her feet. The gate creaked and swayed on its hinges. It was unlocked. How strange.

She finally willed herself to press the buzzer. No answer.

“Maybe you should call him?” Tikki suggested. Her face was visible from an opening in Marinette’s purse.

Suddenly, they heard a gruff cough. Marinette put a finger to her lips and willed Tikki to hush. She looked over her shoulders as she unlocked her phone and brought it to her ear. Then, she slipped into the gate and shut it behind her.

“Allô? Marinette?”

“I’m outside,” Marinette said as she hurried across the courtyard. Seemingly just in time, Adrien opened the front door.

“There’s someone out there,” Marinette warned. Adrien ushered her inside as a camera flash went off from beyond the gate.

Adrien rubbed his temples. “I thought they lost interest in me a long time ago.”

Marinette laughed. “It seems you’ve been making headlines again, party boy.”

Adrien blushed a deep red and ran a hand down his face, but Marinette could tell he was smiling behind his palm.

“What were you even doing in the Métro?”

Adrien’s face fell. “I’m not sure…”

“Well, you don’t have to explain anything to me.” Marinette nudged him with her elbow. “You’re probably not the first person in the world to get carried away like that.”

Adrien groaned and hid behind his hands again. “I wish all of Europe didn’t have to see me like that. It’s so embarrassing!”

Of course, this wasn’t the first time she had seen Adrien drunk. Having had the privilege of being born in France meant that drinking was a way of life. The French prided themselves on their ability to handle their drink. She, like many of her classmates, were introduced to Alcohol at an early age. Her parents had wine with every meal. Though she never really developed a taste for wine, she would often drink with them at mealtimes when she attended Lycée. It was easy to buy alcohol as a minor, as well. She remembered many weekends drinking casually with her friends and it seemed none of their parents cared because “It was better they do it in the house.” She wasn’t sure if Adrien had that kind of freedom because he was often the first of their group to get tipsy. Though, even when drunk, he was never sloppy or obnoxious. She had never known Adrien as a binge drinker before.

They stood in the Foyer. The minute that passed seemed to slow. A stillness hung in the air and it was so present she could feel static buzz between them. A feeling of discomfort began to snake around her. She looked past Adrien and scanned the room.

The mansion felt haunted. It felt eerie. She couldn’t shake the thought that an akuma might drift out of the shadows at any moment. Her eyes trailed up the stair banister to the wall at the first landing. It was blank. If she remembered correctly, there used to be a portrait of a grieving Father and Son looming over the entrance.

“It didn’t feel right to leave it there,” Adrien said as if he read her mind.

“I think I understand.” Marinette thought it was best to drop the subject. “What did you want to talk about, again?”

“Right.” Adrien pursed his lips. “Can I take you somewhere?”

“Ah—Sure?” Marinette tilted her head as she watched Adrien go through a set of doors on the left. She followed him and when she entered the room her heart dropped ten feet into her chest. It was Gabriel’s Atelier and it had been destroyed.

In Nathalie’s corner, all the desk drawers hung open or lay on the floor. Paper sprawled loose. In the center of the room, Gabriel’s stand was tipped over. His tablet was missing. Marinette walked further into the room and she was startled by glass crunching underneath her shoe. She stopped down to pick up a photo taken during Adrien’s collège years.

“How awful…”

“They raided the mansion when my family and I—when we were detained.” Adrien was on the far-side of the room, standing in front of the only object that was intact: Emelie’s portrait.

Marinette had always considered it the most beautiful item in the mansion. The Gustav Klimt-style portrait was refreshing compared to the mansion’s contemporary interior design. Warm colors contrasted with black-and-white. Abstraction rivaled Utilitarianism. Maybe Gabriel wanted it to be that way. When Marinette moved closer, she realized the portrait was slightly crooked on its hinges.

“Stand next to me,” Adrien instructed. He reached to touch the painting. His fingers splayed across the surface. She gasped when they began to lower into the underground.

When the elevator stopped, Marinette’s eyes had to adjust to the dim lighting. Then, she was struck with recognition. Ahead of her, a long catwalk stretched across the room. It was visibly slick and rusted. The arched roof was damaged from a large blast, which had let in all the rain from the past few days. The water flowing underneath was dangerously high. It sloshed every so often against the bridge. On the far side of the room was a patch of greenery. A tree stretched toward the ceiling and Marinette wondered how Gabriel had made it all possible before she noticed something was missing.

When Ladybug and Chat Noir confronted Gabriel, it had been the location of a shocking revelation. It was Emelie’s resting place. Her body had been preserved in what Marinette assumed was something like a Cryogenic pod. When Ladybug saw her, she looked as if she had never died. Or maybe, like she was never alive to begin with. She was flawless.

“Where did they move her to?” Marinette dared to ask.

“Research. They might pull the plug on her soon…” Adrien’s eyes were glassy. She reached her hand to his and he clutched it tightly. After a moment, he let go, then he sat on the ground. His legs dangled over the water rushing beneath them. He gestured for Marinette to sit next to him and she did.

“You’re going to hate me.” Adrien hung his head and twiddled his thumbs.

Marinette blinked. “Why would I hate you?”

“Because…” Adrien swung his legs. “I lost it…”

Marinette was confused.

“I lost my miraculous,” Adrien forced out. “I’m Chat Noir.”

In that moment, Marinette felt as if she were thrown in front of a moving train. Her jaw opened and closed as if she was trying to speak, but no sound would come out. Adrien didn’t know what to expect. Maybe she would yell at him. Maybe she would hit him. He braced himself but, instead, Marinette pulled him into the tightest hug he had ever received. She pulled away and clutched his face with both of her hands. Her eyes bore into him as if she was trying to memorize every inch of his face.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she asked for the second time.

Adrien placed a hand over one of Marinette’s. He tried to not to cry in front of her, but the plug had been pulled. The water was draining. Tears flowed down his face. He allowed himself his first good cry since the year he lost his mother.

“They were watching my every move. I couldn’t risk compromising you, my lady…”

She wiped his tears. She wanted to cry, as well, but now it was her turn to be the protector.

“We’ll find Plagg,” she said in the surest tone she could muster. “I promise.”

Adrien sniffed and pulled away from Marinette to wipe his face. He couldn’t believe that this was the third time this week he would embarrass himself. He relaxed when he saw Marinette’s gaze was devoid of judgement.

“Where would we even begin to look for him?”

“You’re not going to like this… But… Have you given your father a visit?”

Adrien shifted slightly away from Marinette. “If I have to go, will you go with me?”

“Of course.” Adrien was surprised at how quickly she agreed, but then he saw a spark of determination flash across her eyes. She was, without a doubt, one hundred percent Ladybug. “How about this Wednesday after I get out of class?”

They agreed on a date and time and left the repository. Marinette lamented she couldn’t stay much longer, and he escorted her out of the mansion.

After Marinette left, Adrien realized how much lighter he felt. He slouched onto the couch in his bedroom. His hand clutched to his chest. He felt a flutter in his heart. A sigh escaped his lips. Despite their rocky reunion, he was grateful Marinette had turned out to be Ladybug. If anyone could help him find Plagg, it was definitely her.

He smiled to himself, as if he knew a joke that no one else knew. He toasted himself with the bottle of wine he left out hours before. And he drank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very surprised at the reception this story has gotten so far! Thank you so much for all your comments! I appreciate some of the speculations and analysis I've received, as well!  
> Also... Does anyone have any tag suggestions you think might fit well for this?


	6. Uncertainty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette recalls the events of the Hawkmoth trial.

**6 arrested for involvement in Hawkmoth Terror Brigade**

PARIS—Police report that they conducted a raid on the home of prominent fashion designer and CEO Gabriel Agreste who was revealed to be the supervillain Hawkmoth. Several pieces of evidence were seized under the belief that he had used them to conduct attacks against Parisian citizens. These include two pieces of jewelry known as _Miraculous,_ a book written in a mysterious code, and Gabriel Agreste’s personal computer, which contained information regarding his superpowered identity. The search also uncovered the comatose body of Gabriel Agreste’s wife, Emilie Agreste, who went missing in 2014. She was declared legally dead two years after. She was transported to a local hospital.

Gabriel Agreste was taken into police custody, alongside 5 other suspects believed to have worked alongside him. These suspects include his son Adrien Agreste, a model for the Gabriel Brand and an Olympic Fencer, Gabriel’s personal assistant Nathalie Sancoeur, who was revealed to be the holder of the peacock miraculous, and family bodyguard Thierry “Le Gorille” Laffite. Previously akumatized Chloé Bourgeoise and Lila Rossi have also been taken in for questioning. Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie Sancoeur have been charged on accounts of domestic terrorism, with the remaining suspects acting as accomplices or accessories.

During the raid police photographed the lair where Gabriel Agreste conducted his attacks. They were able to find its location with the aid of Superheroes Ladybug and Chat Noir. Ladybug has since taken the evidence back in her possession after allowing prosecutors to document its role in the ongoing investigation

“As the sole protector of the Miraculous, I am obligated to take them out of the public eye to ensure the safety of Paris and to ensure we never have another Hawkmoth again,” Ladybug was quoted in a press release the following day. Chat Noir was not available for comment.

~~

Marinette remembered how nauseating discovering Hawkmoth’s identity had been. What was worse was realizing she would have defeated him sooner if she had gone with her gut years before.

Marinette remembered the silence of her classroom when she returned to school the next day. She recalled how the lesson droned on and how it seemed even the teacher couldn’t feign good spirit. She couldn’t concentrate. Her eyes shifted between three empty seats, which were heavy in their owners’ absences.

Lila’s arrest hadn’t phased her. Chloé had a habit of inserting herself into bad situations. But _Adrien_? The thought of Adrien having anything to do with it made her sick. Despite trying her hardest to think of an excuse for him, there was no way to deny his accusations. She thought defeating Hawkmoth would be a celebratory occasion. Instead everything became complicated and stressful. And now that Chat Noir was gone, she had no one who she could confide in.

For the first time in her life, she wished she had never become Ladybug.

She remembered expressing this thought to Tikki who simply said”, Now do you see why hiding your identity is such a big deal, Marinette?”

“I don’t think I can be involved in the investigation…” Marinette lay in her bed and stared at the ceiling. She hugged a pillow tight to her chest. Her eyes traced shapes in the darkness, as she tried to distract herself from the thoughts overflowing in her head.

Suddenly, Tikki zipped into hiding.

“Marinette?” The lofted bed shook, indicating that someone was climbing up the ladder. Alya’s head poked over the railing. “Hey, Girl. You alright?”

Marinette clutched her pillow tighter and shook her head.

“Is this about Adrien?” Alya nudged. Marinette rubbed her eyes and sat upright to face her friend.

“I don’t understand!” Marinette said louder than she meant to. “He’s too nice! He would have never gone along with it if he knew what his dad was doing!”

Alya chewed her lip. “You’re right…”

“Huh?” was all Marinette could say as her friend crawled into bed next to her. “Really? You agree with me? Everyone else hates him right now.”

“Yeah, really.” Alya settled into bed, finding a comfortable position on her side. “It _doesn’t_ make sense. Nino says that Adrien idolizes Ladybug. He has all kinds of Ladybug merchandise in his closet.”

“What?! No way!”

“Yes, way! Plus, I don’t think he has it in him. Adrien’s not really the bad boy type.”

Marinette’s face twisted in thought. “We have to do something, then! What if he really is innocent?! What if he had no clue what was going on?! What if his dad threatened him to stay quiet!? He could have done awful things to Adrien and we wouldn’t have known—”

“Woah!” Alya held her hands up for Marinette to slow down. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Unfortunately, we don’t have all the facts.”

“But Alya!” Marinette whined. “I can’t just sit here while Adrien is rotting in jail over something he probably didn’t do!”

“ _Probably_ ,” Alya emphasized. Marinette huffed and slouched into her bed.

“Don’t worry, girl,” Alya said, pulling her friend into a hug. “If they question us, we can put in a good word for him.”

Marinette mumbled a meek, “Okay.”

“I can sleep over if you want.”

“That’s okay, Alya. I think I want to be alone, tonight.”

Alya shrugged and she climbed down from the bed. “Text me if you need me.”

As soon as Alya was gone, Tikki came out of her hiding spot. “You already know what I have to say about whatever you’re thinking, Marinette.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Marinette smiled, feigning innocence, before calling on her transformation. She leaped through her skylight in a flash of pink light.

Autumn air nipped at Ladybug’s face as she swung with her yo-yo. She zigzagged between and leaped over buildings. After a few minutes, she perched on the edge of a rooftop to catch her breath and scan her surroundings. She had visited the Paris Tribunal only once a couple days prior. Despite her uncertainty, it was a hard building to miss. She zoned in on a glass skyscraper that resembled a staircase.

“Mademoiselle Ladybug!” Ladybug’s head snapped towards the direction the voice was coming from. Officer Raincomprix stood below her, megaphone pointed towards her and a hand placed on his hip. Ladybug swung to the ground and landed on her feet in front of him.

“Yes, officer?”

“I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past 5 minutes.” Officer Raincomprix lowered his megaphone and clipped it to his belt. His face read irritation.

“I’m sorry, officer! I must have been pretty distracted.” Ladybug let out a short laugh in embarrassment. “What did you need?”

“The magistrate wants to bring you in for further input about Hawkmoth’s case.”

“What a coincidence! I was just on my way!”

The officer glared at her and simply opened the door to his police cruiser. “Go ahead and get in the car. I’ll escort you.”

“No need!” Ladybug readied her yo-yo. “It’s not far. It’ll be faster if I go there myself!”

The officer slammed the door shut. “You see, that’s the problem with you hero types—!” Ladybug had already launched herself into the air before the Officer could finish.

The walls of the Paris Tribunal were entirely glass, which allowed early afternoon sunlight to stream in and reflect off its all white interior. She passed through a body scanner into the lobby. A few officers stood guard beside the entrance. People dressed in business casual dotted the room, some congregating in small groups, briefcases in hand as if they were about to wrap up the end of a long day. A few eyed Ladybug, their faces full of bewilderment. She stood in the lobby, looking around like a lost child. She let out a relieved breath when she noticed a familiar man standing a few yards away from her. He was thin in frame with a wiry appearance, thinning grey hair, and the nose of a hawk.

“Judge Thibault!” Ladybug called as she traveled his way. The examining magistrate startled before realizing who had called his name. He visibly relaxed.

“Bonjour, Ladybug! I was afraid you wouldn’t show today! I’m glad you could make it!”

“No, problem, Monsieur. Is the investigation going well?”

“Actually, yes. Things are moving faster than expected.” Judge Thibault led her to the elevators. “All the evidence is where we need it to be. This should go to trial by next session.” He entered his floor number and the elevator carried them upwards. Ladybug’s cheerful expression dropped.

“So, that’s it? You don’t need anything else, then?”

“I do have a few more questions for you,” Judge Thibault said as they stepped into a long, bright hallway. They stopped in front of a door and Ladybug waited, her hands held behind her back, as the Judge fished for the key to his office.

“You can have a seat,” he said once they were inside. He retrieved a digital recorder from a drawer. He placed it on the desktop before producing a paper file. He opened it and flipped through the contents, of which ladybug could see consisted of various notes and photographs. She recognized a few photos from news footage surrounding the battle unofficially dubbed “Hero’s Day.” It had been the first battle waged against Hawkmoth and his akuma army. Judge Thibault slid two photographs across the desk. Both depicted Nathalie Sancoeur, one of her akumatized form Catalyst and the other of her superpowered form Mayura. Judge Thibault cleared his throat and turned on the recorder.

“From your experience with the Miraculous, would you say it is possible for Miraculous holders to become akumatized?

Ladybug thought for a moment before answering. “A long time ago, I would have answered ‘No,’ but the answer is in the photographs, is it not?”

The magistrate raised his eyebrows in consideration.

“It also seems you’ve forgotten that Chloé Bourgeois was akumatized while wielding the Bee Miraculous. Twice.”

“Good catch, Ladybug.” The magistrate began to write as he listened to her speak.

“Gabriel Agreste has been akumatized, as well,” Ladybug continued. “At the time, I would have dismissed any speculation of his identity because of that, but now I see it’s not too far of a stretch to conclude that Butterfly holders can target themselves.”

“Interesting…” The magistrate tapped his pen. “So, considering this information, it seems that the only person in this group of suspects who has not been akumatized is Gabriel Agreste’s son, Adrien.”

“Correct,” Ladybug swallowed. “You seem to have a lot of knowledge about who’s who when it comes to Akuma.”

“We’ve kept a database over the years.” Judge Thibault entered a password into his computer and opened a file which contained a list of akuma victims and their identities. “After an akuma attack happens we log it here. However, we can only note the attack if an officer or media outlet has been present at the scene. The famous _Ladyblog_ is usually our go-to source. We try to keep a close eye on these people after the akumatization occurs, but, until now, there have been no leads…”

Ladybug gawked at the computer before the judge allowed her a closer look. She recognized the names and images of several victims listed: Nadja Chamack. Officer Raincomprix. Mayor Bourgeois. She saw the some of her friend’s names, as well. A sickly feeling stirred within her gut. “This… is wrong.”

“I’ve been on this case for a while. Is it that wrong when the safety of Paris is at stake?”

“But they’re not criminals! They’re victims!”

“Yes, I realize that Mademoiselle.” The judge rubbed between his brows. “ _However,_ if we took their word for it, and treated them as victims right off the bat, we wouldn’t be where we are now.”

Ladybug backed away from the judge and rounded the desk. She sat back down.

“Anyways.” The judge gathered the file and stacked it neatly with the rest of his paperwork. “We still need to piece together our story for the last four remaining subjects.”

Ladybug simply nodded her head in cooperation.

“Can you tell me what you know about Thierry Laffite?”

“The bodyguard?” Ladybug tapped her forehead as If trying to access her memory. “Unfortunately, not much else besides his occupation.”

The judge jotted into his notebook.

“Chloé Bourgeoise?”

“She’s not a very nice girl,” Ladybug stated, indignantly, which captured the judge’s interest. Ladybug instantly recoiled within herself. She reminded herself that she knew Chloé personally. No matter how much Ladybug didn’t like her, she knew she couldn’t throw Chloé under the bus for something she didn’t do. “But… I don’t believe she knew about Gabriel Agreste’s identity…”

“She was voluntarily akumatized wasn’t she?”

“Yes, but she is easily swayed by her emotions, and that’s how Hawkmoth takes advantage of others. There have been no incidents with Chloé on that level since.”

“So…” The magistrate continued. “A victim?”

“Precisely.”

“Then… Lila Rossi?”

Ladybug clenched her fists. “She is one of Hawkmoth’s sidekicks. We’ve had multiple run-ins with Lila. You should know that the Ladyblog has footage of Lila calling his Akuma to her.”

“We wanted to get confirmation on what we’ve already observed…” The magistrate nodded. “And lastly… Adrien Agreste.”

“Um…” Ladybug treaded cautiously. She straightened her back and folded her hands together in her lap. “I have saved him on multiple occasions. He’s always there during Akuma attacks.”

“Interesting…” Judge Thibault perked at the new information, which Ladybug scolded herself for. _Backtrack, Marinette!_

“Hawkmoth has allowed his son to be targeted by Akuma on multiple occasions. One time, when he was a kid, he had to jump from a building to save himself from the akuma Gorizilla.”

“Noted. Is there anything else you want to add?”

“As I understand, he’s one of my biggest fans. He’s never once tried to take my miraculous from me. I believe he was oblivious to his father’s identity.”

“Very well,” The magistrate finished writing and shut the notebook. “That’s all I need to know. Thank you for your input.”

“You’re welcome,” Ladybug said before standing from her seat.

Judge Thibault led her to the door. “I will proceed with the next step of the investigation. Is there anyway I can get a hold of you as a civilian, perhaps, so we can notify you when the trial will move forward?”

Ladybug instinctively clutched her yo-yo. “I’m sorry, Judge Thibault, but my identity must remain a secret.”

“I see…” Up close, Ladybug noticed the bags underneath the judge’s eyes. “And what does your partner, Chat Noir, think of the investigation? We would like to hear from him before we wrap things up.”

“I—uh—I haven’t heard from him since…”

“The battle?” Judge Thibault rubbed his chin inquisitively.

“Yes sir…” Ladybug’s voice fell flat.

“Mademoiselle…” The judge continued. “I know you speak highly of Adrien, but are you aware he was caught running from the crime scene, immediately after the last place Chat Noir was spotted?”

Ladybug knew what the judge was implying. He suspected Adrien had something to do with Chat Noir’s absence. No matter how much Ladybug wanted to defend Adrien, she couldn’t think of a reason for why Adrien had run from the police. It was also out of character for Chat Noir to go silent after something so major. As the investigation continued, Chat Noir had fallen completely off the radar. Chat Noir’s disappearance was an obstacle. The trial didn’t occur as soon as Judge Thibault predicted. And it had something to do with Adrien.

During the search efforts, the magistrate routinely bothered Ladybug about Chat Noir. He wanted to know if she had any indication on who his civilian identity was. She told him the truth. She didn’t know. The judge balked at her. Ladybug started to wish they had exchanged identities a long time ago. The police aided Team Miraculous in their search, but without a clue to Chat Noir’s identity, the search turned fruitless. The lack of evidence to clue in on the Black Cat would allow Adrien to walk free until the trial. As much as Ladybug wanted to be convinced of his innocence, the possibility of Adrien’s betrayal tugged at the back of her mind.

Had Gabriel succeeded in getting Chat Noir’s miraculous?

Had he used Adrien to get his hands on it?

The raid hadn’t turned up any evidence to prove so. And wouldn’t have Chat Noir came to Ladybug for help, identities be damned?

She wanted to go to Adrien, herself, but she never got the chance to talk to him. Adrien became avoidant. Since his release, he made no effort to explain himself to his friends. In class, he swooped in just as the lesson was about to begin. He sat in the far back and quickly ducked out of the classroom when the lesson was over. Nino relayed that Adrien was overwhelmed. He wanted space. She understood, but she couldn’t help but worry. When Marinette stole glances behind her, she could see the impending trial was taking a toll on him. Everyone knew what he had been involved with… or at least everyone knew what the media said about him. Marinette wanted to know the truth, but he never gave her the chance to know.

Either way, she couldn’t confront him as Marinette and risk revealing her identity. And she didn’t want to go to him as Ladybug with everyone watching.

Marinette felt trapped.

During the trial, Ladybug was present as a key witness. She watched Adrien stand before the panel of judges. She saw how his fingers twitched behind the podium as he awaited his fate. She saw how his forehead glistened with sweat. His eyes squeezed shut and she saw him deflate, exhaling with relief when the judges delivered their verdict. _Not guilty._ And for the rest…

Chloé Bourgeois. _Not Guilty._

Lila Rossi. _Guilty_

Thierry Laffite. _Guilty._

Nathalie Sancoeur. _Guilty._

Gabriel Agreste. _Guilty._

“We should do something for him,” Marinette suggested one day to Alya and Nino. Now that the trial was over with, everything was almost back to normal. Most students were in good spirits. They welcomed springtime after their return from a long winter holiday. The three friends prepared a small get together in celebration of Adrien’s innocence.

At first, Adrien seemed stoked. It had been a while since the four of them had hung out together. As the night went on, however, Marinette realized how heavy the air surrounding Adrien remained. When Adrien excused himself to take a breather, she followed him to her balcony.

“Are you okay, Adrien?” She asked. She maintained her distance, holding her arms against herself in exercised caution. They were alone together for the first time since the school year started.

“I just have a lot on my mind…” Adrien leaned against the balcony railing. His face had fallen into somberness he hadn’t let himself show just minutes before.

“It’d be kind of weird if you didn’t…” She allowed her voice to trail and she chuckled nervously. “I mean… after all that’s happened… Do you want to talk about it? Maybe I can’t relate but I can be a good listener…”

Marinette wanted to yell. She wanted to tell him it was okay and that everyone made mistakes! If he would just tell her what he knew about Chat Noir, she would forgive him!

Adrien’s face twisted in apprehension. He raked his hands through his hair. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin…”

Marinette held her breath for a moment before placing a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to start at the beginning…”

Adrien looked her in the eyes and Marinette swore that she could see right through him. She saw how his eyes quivered, moisture glistening against the city lights. “So, I can trust you? Like— _really, really_ trust you, Marinette?”

“Of course,” Marinette said. Her voice was lighthearted, but her throat became tight. A loud rush filled her ears, dampening the ambiance of the city below. _Just say it and I’ll forgive you_ , she silently pleaded _._ She put both of her hands over his, clutching them tightly in a move she hoped communicated reassurance.

The trap door creaked on its hinges and Nino emerged, effectively ending the moment they shared.

“The party’s down here remember?” he chided. “Alya’s back with the booze! You coming?”

Adrien smiled. “It’s alright, Marinette. It’s not a big deal. We should go back.”

“Right…” Marinette murmured, following the boys to her bedroom.

Marinette hoped they had taken a step in the right direction, but, as much as she wished everything would go back to normal, her friendship with Adrien was still on unsteady ground. He became awkward at school. She still saw him when he was with Nino, but every time she found herself alone with him, he would create an excuse to leave.

Slowly, Adrien drifted away.

~~

Marinette returned from her visit with Adrien with more questions than answers. The events of the year before flooded her mind, aggravating every doubt and eroding all the uncertainty she harbored about Adrien.

Chat Noir was _Adrien_ who couldn’t say anything for fear of exposing his identity to the public.

Adrien was _Chat Noir_ who couldn’t say anything because he was trying to protect his lady. He had destroyed himself with his silence.

When Marinette finally crawled into bed, she covered her face with a pillow. Tikki nuzzled against her hair as Marinette let out a long guttural scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't abandoned this story!  
> After publishing the last chapter, I went back and overhauled my outline for this story. 
> 
> There are probably some issues with the timeline, as you've noticed. I may go back and edit previous chapters if I feel like it or have the time. Just know that Hawkmoth and co. was defeated in October. The investigation and search went on sometime between October and the next February. The next March was when the trial happened. Adrien and Chloe were not held the entire time the investigation took place.
> 
> This chapter took a long time to write. I wrote several versions and I had to do a lot of research about the French justice system. Ultimately, I decided to leave out a lot of details about the trial because of my unfamiliarity with the system. I also didn't want to bog you all down with a courtroom scene, anyways. 
> 
> I probably said to someone that I would reveal how Adrien lost his miraculous this chapter. Oops. I will definitely go over that, but I felt I needed to get this out of the way first. 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading! I can't promise any sort of update schedule!
> 
> EDIT:  
> I forgot to add. This is the building where the investigation and trial was conducted.  
> https://www.archdaily.com/884074/paris-courthouse-renzo-piano-building-workshop


	7. Story Update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Notes about what's happening to this fic

To anyone who really cares or kept up with this story: No. I didn't abandon it. However, I am scrapping the story so far in its current version. Sometime in the next few weeks, probably more likely after my college semester's end, I will be doing a complete re-write of the chapters I have published so far. There was a point during its conception where I felt the set-up had failed my vision of where I wanted the story to go. As I mentioned in the notes in my first chapter, this was/is my first fic. While I am not new to writing, I was very proud of the content I had put out when I first plotted the idea. Now that I've been away from it for a few months, due to various life events that impeded me from writing for it regularly, I'm coming back to it with a fresh pair of eyes. 

I can't wait to continue this story and see it to it's completion! This was and is still my baby, so I don't have any plans to abandon it anytime soon. <3


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